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KINGSTON —The Kingston Common Council approved the acquisition of an armored vehicle for the police department in a 6-2 vote Tuesday evening. The vehicle will replace an existing, out-of-service armored vehicle the department already owns.
The armored vehicle was recently proposed by Kingston Police Chief Egidio Tinti during a Finance Committee meeting before being voted on by the council.
A bond approval of $100,000 from Homeland Security was passed in tandem to fund the vehicle, which will be utilized as a shared service between Kingston and the Town of Ulster, being stored in the Town of Ulster. The Town of Ulster will contribute the rest of the funding necessary for the vehicle’s acquisition and there will be no cost to the city.
There was some concern expressed by the public and council members that the vehicle would create a militaristic appearance in the city; however, Common Council President Andrea Shaut said the police department maintains the vehicle will only be in use for emergencies.
“This is not to patrol streets. This is not for normal patrol at all and will only be used for life-threatening situations,” said Shaut.
The vehicle is designed primarily for rescue and would most likely only be used for an active shooter situation to shield individuals needing to be rescued from gunfire.
Despite this, the council has suggested that a policy be adopted for exactly when and how the vehicle would be used. The Kingston Police Department has already drafted a use policy for the vehicle and it is being reviewed by the police advisory board.
NEWS STORY PROVIDED BY: Mid Hudson News -www.midhudsonnews.com